SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) Jim Boeheim says he fully intended for next year to be his last as Syracuse's basketball coach, and he never thought otherwise until Sunday.

That's when longtime assistant Mike Hopkins - and Syracuse's coach-in-waiting - left to become head coach at Washington.

Boeheim said at a news conference Monday he never tried to change the agreement he made with the university to retire after next season. Boeheim says Hopkins informed him in a tearful meeting Saturday of the Washington offer.

The 72-year-old Boeheim thought Hopkins would be the best fit to succeed him. The university agreed, signing him as the head coach designate.

Athletic director John Wildhack says he quickly moved to keep Boeheim for the sake of continuity, and received approval from the chancellor and board of trustees.